Machine for packing matches



Decc. F. WRIGHT MACHINE FOR PACKING MATCHES Filed Feb; 6, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet l o a c 0 000000 non uoucoc cooc oooooccco one coouucoocc I Dec. 31, 1940. c. F. WRIGHT MACHINE FOR PACKING MATCHES Filed Feb. 6, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 31, 1940. c. F. WRIGHT MACHINE FOR PACKING MATCHES Filed Feb. 6, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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Filed Feb. 6, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 O 000 O I I I l 0 I I l I I I I l I l ll 0 Patented Dec. 31, 1940 MACHINE FOR PACKING MATCHES Charles F. Wright, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The Diamond Match Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application February 6, 1940, Serial No. 317,532

9 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for packing matches, having reference more particularly to machines whereby matches as they are discharged from a match making machine are assembled in match trays, or, alternatively, in a trough from which the matches are transferred to the trays.

The object of my invention is to provide novel and efficient mechanism whereby the discharged matches are assembled in two layers, one superposed on the other with the match heads of the lower layer pointing in one direction and the heads of the upper layer pointing in the opposite direction.

In the form of embodiment of my invention herein illustrated segregated rows of matches projecting from perforated areas on the respective sides of the longitudinal median line of the match carrier of a match making machine are progressively ejected, heads outward, and at different horizontal levels, one level being some distance above, and the other level being in proximity to the open top of the trough through which box trays are or may be impelled in succeeding order. The lower rows of matches as they are successively discharged from the carrier pass directly over and drop into the underlying trays, or into the trough in the absence of the trays, whereas the upper rows when they are discharged are lengthwise guided in their descent toward the trough and at the same time are positively turned through an arc' of 180, thus endwise reversing the latter matches and depositing them in the progressing trays, or'in the trough, with the match heads pointing in an opposite direction to those of the lower matches previously delivered to the trays or to the trough.

The invention also comprises novel features of construction and combinations of parts which in a preferred form will be hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of the dis charge end of a match machine equipped with match packing mechanism embodying my invenshafts included in the guiding and reversing mechanism, the other elements of which mechanism, except the ends of said shafts, being omitted.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the mechanism for 5' receiving and reversing the matches discharged by the upper punches, showing the swinging housing for said mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section through the guiding and, reversing elements for the matches discharged at the upper level from the match carrier of the match machine, the guiding and reversing elements being shown partially in elevation.

Fig; 6 is a partial transverse horizontal section 15 through the match carrier in a plane directly above the guiding and reversing mechanism.

Fig. '7 is a section of a filled box tray showing the two layers of matches therein.

Referring to the drawings, [0 designates a portion of the supporting frame at the discharging end of a typical match making machine,.and Ii a portion of an intermittently movable match carrier composed of an endless chain of plates having rows of perforations into which the stick 1 ends of the match splints S are forced and held. The plates are driven by suitable mechanism including gear wheels I2, which mesh with rows of gear teeth on the respective plates, and a gear 30 train I20 which is driven from the "main shaft of the machine. A horizontaltrough It arranged at and transversely of the discharging end of the machine affords a receptacl'e'and guide for the matches ejected from the carrier, or, as herein illustrated, for a series of progressing match trays T adapted to receivethe ejected matches as will presently appear. The trough is slidably supported upon guide blocks l4 rising from a suitably-disposed tab-1e I5, and is usually given a 40 longitudinal jarring motion in any suitable manner in order to agitate and settle the matches within the trough or within the trays, as the case may be.

In the present instance a series of trays T of commercialmatch boxes are supported in and longitudinally of the trough, which trays are internally partitioned and impelled by spaced bladeslfi on the lower run of an endless chain conveyor I! which is arranged and adapted to travel within and along the trough, the distance between adjacent blades being less than the length of a match. This conveyer passes about curved guide pieces H3 at the respective ends of the trough, and also about a pair of suitably supported guide wheels l9, one of which wheels is appropriately geared with and continuously driven from a lower shaft 28. The blades of the travelling conveyor progressively enter the proximate trays at one end of the trough and impel them to the opposite end of the trough. Coincidentally the blades contribute to the orderly disposition of the matches within the trays. The mechanism just referred to is of known construction.

According to my invention the rows of matches projecting from the perforated areas, A and B, on the respective sides of the longitudinal median line of the vertical run of the carrier II at the discharging end of the match machine, are ejected, row by row, at different horizontal levels. The level for the area A is at some distance above the top of one-half the length, say, of the trough, and the level for the area B is immediately above the other section of the trough. The means herein shown for ejecting the rows of matches at the respective levels comprises concurrently reciprocating heads 2| and 22, each having a row of suitably spaced punches 23 which enter and recede from the opposing row of perforations of the progressing match carrier. These punch heads are slidably fitted in guide brackets 24 supported by the sides of the main frame If].

The upper head 2| is pivotally connected by means of links 25 to the upstanding arm 26 of a lever fast on a transverse rock-shaft 21 journaled in end hearings in the frame sides. The depen ing arm 28 of the lever is pivotally connected by means of a rod 29 with a depending arm 30 fast on a rock shaft 3| in spaced parallel relation with the shaft 27. The rock shaft 3|, which is also journaled in hearings in the main frame, has fast thereon a lever 32 to which is pivotally connected a depending rod 33 under the control of any usual or approved actuating mechanism on the match machine. During the operation of the machine the rock shaft 3| is oscillated to effect through the intermediate connections just described horizontal reciprocations of the upper head 2| in timed relation to the match carrier, and hence each succeeding row of matches held in the area A of the carrier is ejected therefrom by the reciprocating punches of the upper head.

The lower punch head 22 is pivotally connected by means of links 34 to the depen ing arm 35 of a lever fast on a rock shaft 36 which is located below and parallel with the shaft 21, and is journaled in bearings in the main frame. The upstanding lever arm 31 is pivotally connected by means of a rod 38 to a depending arm 39 fast on the shaft 3|, the latter arm being a counterpart of the arm 30. During the oscillation of the shaft 3| the lower punch head is reciprocated correspondingly with the upper punch head, and therefore the opposing rows of matches in the paths of the punches of the respective heads are simultaneously ejected from the carrier.

The matches ejected from the area A ofthe carrier are longitudinally guided and reversed during their descent to a horizontal plane adjacent the top of the trough, thence they are fed or projected, heads leading, toward and de posited in an orderly manner within the'overlying progressing trays, each of which trays when it reaches the median line of the carrier is partially filled with matches having all their heads pointing in the same direction. In their ,continued progress the trays directly receive and are filled with matches discharged from the area B of the carrier at the lower level, the heads of which matches point in a direction opposite to to the heads of the matches previously delivered to the trays. Therefore when the trays pass beyond the two filling zones each succeeding tray has been supplied with two layers of matches, one superposed on the other, the heads of the lower layer being at one side of the tray and the heads of the other layer being at the opposite side of the tray.

It is to be noted that the rear wall of the portion of the trough l3 in the first filling zone is extended upward, as at 40, to afford an end stop for the reversed matches as they are projected over the underlying trays, and that the front wall of the trough in the second filling zone is similarly extended, as at 4|, to afford an end stop for the matches as they are ejected from the carrier at the lower level.

The matches as they are discharged, heads forward, from the area A of the carrier H by the upper punches, enter a series of downwardly and forwardly inclined channels 42, each of which is of sufficient width and depth freely to receive and guide a plurality of matches (two, in the present instance) delivered lengthwise thereto from the carrier. The bottoms 43 of the respective channels decline tangentially, or substantially so, to the floors of a series of circumferential grooves or pockets in a relatively large transverse roller 44 which is located in front of and across the perforated area A of the carrier, and is rapidly driven in a counter-clockwise direction by means, for example, of a broad transmission belt 45 hereinafter described. The roller herein shown comprises a series of relatively thin discs 46 and spacer rings 41 arranged in alternation and fixedly secured together so as to provide a unitary structure. The diameter of the roller is such that its peripheral pocketed portion, vertically below its axis of rotation, is spaced adjacent to and slightly above the front of the open top of the trough, such portion during the rotation of the roller describing a path toward the front wall of the trough. The side walls 48 of the inclined channels lead to and arecurved correspondingly with the peripheries of the respective discs 46, and hence the grooves or pockets of the roller constitute, in effect, travelling continuations of the channels.

The construction and arrangement of the parts just described is such that the matches,"as they are discharged, heads leading, slide down the chutes and into the circumferential grooves or pockets of the; rapidly rotating roller' and are thereby carried counter-=clockwise through an arc of or substantially so, in a manner to point the heads of the matches toward the carrier and project them row by row above the trough; whereupon the matches drop into the underlying trays as previously mentioned. The roller thus constitutes a form of match turning and feeding element. Preferably the peripheries of the spacer rings are serrated, as at 49, in orderto ensure the positive travel of the matches with the roller.

More particularly described, themeans herein illustrated for longitudinally guiding and endwise reversing the matches is as follows: Fixed to the side frame standards at the discharging end of the match machine'are' two counterpart brackets 50 which project forwardly of the carrier. These brackets support three parallel crossshafts 5!, 52 and 53, respectively, the top shaft 5| arranged in a horizontal plane above that of the upper punches 23, or substantially so, and

in front of the match carrier, thelowermost shaft 53 arranged aboveand forwardly of the trough, and the intermediate shaft 52 arranged somewhat rearwardly of the others, as seen most clearly in Figs. 2-and 4. The shaft which is driven by or from a suitable motor is journaled in bearings in the brackets 50, while the other shafts are fixedly held in position. Loose on the lowermost shaft 53 is the match turning and feeding roller.

The side walls 48 of the channels leading to the roller are perforated, as at 54, and are mounted on the fixed shaft 52, which shaft thus serves as an efficient support for the walls. The upper ends of the walls are aflixed to a cross-bar 55 which, in turn, is securely fastened at one end to the adjacent bracket 50. The inclined bottoms of the respective channels are conveniently afforded by a series of inclined bars 56 (preferably U-shape in cross-section) which are flanked by the members constituting the side walls 48 and are formed at their lower ends to escape the serrated peripheries of the spacer rings 41, and which bars, similarly to the side walls, are supported by the shaft 52 and'the upper cross-bar 55. The tops of the inclined channels, as well as the forward portions of the grooves or pockets of the roller 44, are constituted by the belt 45 which is suitably trained about the peripheries of the discs 46; thence about a pulley 51 fast on the shaft 51 so as to overlie the series of inclined channels; thence about a forward take-up pulley 5B, thence about a pair of lower guide pulleys 59 back to and under the roller 44. The shafts of the pulleys 58 and 59 are preferably mounted within a suitable housing supported at the discharging end of the machine to encase the match guiding and reversing mechanism. As the belt 45 travels in the direction of flow of the matches from the upper to the lower level, the belt serves not only to guard the matches in their descent, but it also contributes to the movement of the matches that are brought in contact with the opposing surface of the belt. (See Fig, 2)

The housing, as herein shown, comprises a depending sheet metal structure having two side walls Gil and a projecting angular front wall ill, the top of which structure is hingedly hung on the shaft 5!. One of the side walls 60 is preferably provided with a suitably-disposed projection 62 adapted when the housing is in its closed or down position to be engaged by a locking lever 63 pivotally supported by the adjacent bracket 5!]. By unlocking the housing and swinging it and its appurtenances upwardly, ,access can be readily had to the match guiding and reversing mechanism as occasion may require.

In case the matches discharged from the perforated longitudinal areas of the match carrier are delivered to the trough, instead of to box trays within the trough, the trough and the successively travelling compartments afforded therein by the conveyer l1 and its blades l8 serve as receiving means for the endwise reversed layers of matches, which matches are directly impelled in bulk along the trough by the conveyer blades to a suitable location for transference to a tray filling station.

It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the particular exemplifying form of embodiment thereof herein disclosed, as the mechanisms may be modified within the principle of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I clairn" 1. The combination of means for progressively advancing matches in segregated rows, with the heads of the matches pointingin the same directions, means for progressively discharging the segregated rows at different levels, means adjacent the lower level for progressively receiving and impelling the matches discharged from the segregated rows, and means for: longitudinally guiding and endwise reversing the matches in their passage from the upper level to the match receiving and impelling means, said guiding and reversing means including a match turning and feeding element located adjacent the said receiving and impelling means, and means for actuating said element.

2. The combination of means for progressively advancing matches in segregated rows, with the heads of the matches pointing in the same direction, means for progressively discharging the segregated rows at different levels, means adjacent the lower level for progressively receiving and impelling the matches discharged from the segregated rows, and means for longitudinally guiding and endwise reversing the matches in their passage from the upper level to the match receiving andimpelling means, said guiding and reversing mechanism comprising a structure having parallel channels downwardly and outwardly inclined from the upper discharging level, a

match turning and feeding element located adjacent and longitudinally of the said receiving means and having spaced match receiving portions to which lead the respective inclined channels, and means for actuating said element.

3. The combination of means forprogressively advancing matches in segregrated rows, with the heads of the matches pointing in the same direction, means for progressively discharging the segregated rows at different levels, means adjacent the lower level for progressively receiving and impelling the matches discharged from the segregated rows, and means for longitudinally guiding and endwise reversing the matches in their descent from the upper level to the match receiving and impelling means, said guiding and reversing means including a matchturning and feeding roller located adjacent and longitudinally of the said receiving and impelling means and having circumferential receiving portions to which the matches are delivered, and a driven belt trained about the periphery of the roller and overlying the match receiving portions thereof.

4. The combination of means for progressively advancing matches in segregated rows, with the heads of the matches pointing in the same direction, means for progressively discharging the segregated rows at diiferent levels, means adjacent the lower level for progressively receiving and impelling the matches discharged from the segregated rows, and means for longitudinally guiding and endwise reversing the matches in their descent from the upper level to the match receiving and impelling means, said guiding and reversing means including a match turning and feeding roller located adjacent and longitudinally of the said receiving and impelling means and having circumferential receiving portions with serrated floors upon which the matches are delivered, and a driven belt trained about the periphery of the roller and overlying the match carrying portions thereof.

5. The combination of means for progressively advancing matches in segregated rows, with the heads of the matches pointing in the same direction, means for progressively discharging the segregated rows at different levels, means adjacent the lower level for progressively receiving and impelling the matches discharged from the segregated rows, and means for longitudinally guiding and endwise reversing the matches in their descent from the upper level toward the match receiving means, said guiding and reversing means comprising a structure having parallel channels downwardly and outwardly inclined from the upper discharging level a, match turning and feeding roller located adjacent and 1ongitudinally of the said receiving means and having circumferential receiving portions to the upper path of which lead the respective channels, and means for actuating said roller.

6. The combination of means for progressively advancing matches in segregated rows, with the heads of the matches pointing in the same direction, means for progressively discharging the segregated rows at different levels, means adjacent the lower level for progressively receiving and impelling the matches discharged from the segregated rows, and means for longitudinally guiding and endwise reversing the matches in their descent from the upper level to the match receiving and impelling means, said guiding and reversing means comprising a structure having parallel channels downwardly and outwardly inclined from the upper discharging level, a match turning and feeding roller located adjacent and longitudinally of the said receiving and impelling means and having circumferential receiving portions to the upper path of which lead the respective channels, and a driven belt trained about the periphery of the roller and overlying the match receiving portions of the rollers and also the inclined channels.

7. The combination of means for progressively advancing matches in segregated rows, with the heads of the matches pointing in the same direction, means for progressively discharging the segregated rows at different levels, means adjacent the lower level for progressively receiving and impelling the matches discharged from the segregated rows, means for longitudinally guiding and endwise reversing the matches in their descent from the upper level to the match receiving and impelling means, said guiding and reversing means including a match turning and feeding roller located adjacent and longitudinally of the said receiving and impelling means and having circumferential match receiving portions to the upper path of which lead the respective channels, a driven belt trained about the periphery of the roller andoverlying the match receiving portions of the roller, and pulleys for the guidance of said belt, and a movable housing encasing the said guiding and reversing mechanism including the pulleys, some at least of which pulleys are supported by the housing and are movable therewith.

8.The combination with a source of match supply including means for discharging succeeding rows of matches therefrom, and match receiving means located at a level below the path of discharge, of means for longitudinally guiding and endwise reversing the discharged matches during their descent to the receiving means, said guiding and reversing means comprising a structure having parallel channels downwardly and outwardly inclined from the discharging level, a match turning and feeding roller located adjacent and longitudinally of the said receiving means and having circumferential match receiving portions to the, upper path of which lead the respective channels, and means for actuating said roller.

9. The combination with a source of match supply including means for discharging succeeding'rows of matches therefrom, and match receiving means located below the discharging level, of a match turning and feeding roller comprising alternating discs and spacer rings providing circumferential pockets mounted in cooperative relation to the match receiving means, means for rapidly rotating said roller, and a structure having parallel channels downwardly and outwardly inclined from the discharging level to the upper path of the roller, the spaced walls of saidchannels corresponding with and terminating adjacent the peripheries of the respective discs, whereby the matches delivered to the channels are lengthwise guided to the pockets of the roller and are thereby endwise reversed and projected toward the said match receiving means.

CHARLES F. WRIGHT. 

